Perpignan sign South African Duvenage

PERPIGNAN, France (AFP) –

Western Stormers scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage (right) plays during a Super 15 rugby match in Brisbane on April,20, 2012. French rugby giants Perpignan have announced they have signed seven players for next season including South African scrum-half Duvenage.

French rugby giants Perpignan announced on Saturday they had signed seven players for next season including South African scrum-half Dewaldt Duvenage from the Stormers.

However, 33-year-old French prop Nicolas Mas will be leaving the club after 14 years to join Montpellier.

Perpignan – who are challenging for a place in the end-of-season title play-offs lie seventh at present, six points adrift of Montpellier who occupy the last play-off position with two games remaining – also announced the arrival of fly-half Camille Lopez from Top 14 rivals Bordeaux-Begles.

Also arriving at the 2009 champions – who are also in the European Challenge semi-finals – are props Romanian Ion Paulica from recently-relegated English Premiership side London Welsh and Georgian Giorgi Jgenti from Montpellier.

Australian lock Justin Purll is coming with Lopez from Bordeaux while wings South African Wandile Mjekevu and Fijian Watisoni Votu are joining from the Sharks and English Premiership side Exeter respectively.